The Province is investing $25.8 million in highway infrastructure improvements in the Northwest to improve the ride, safety and efficiency of the highway network for residents, travellers and commercial drivers.

The Province is investing in highway resurfacing, intersection upgrades, side road strengthening, pedestrian safety enhancements and other priority road and bridge improvements. This funding will not only ensure Northwest roads and bridges are kept in good condition, but will also create more than 125 jobs for the local economy.

The largest of the projects will be the resurfacing of approximately 34 km of Highway 16 between Khyex River and Kasiks River, west of Terrace. This project supports the northern resource industry through improvements to this key east/west corridor that provides access to the Port of Prince Rupert. A $7.75-million contract has been awarded to Peter's Bros. Construction. Work is scheduled to begin this May.

On Highway 37, two sealcoat projects continue the Province's work to upgrade this vital north-south transportation corridor and support of the developing mining industry and construction of the Northwest Transmission Line.

Since 2001, the Province has invested nearly $1 billion in the Northwest in highway improvements, maintenance and community infrastructure improvements.

Quote:

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Blair Lekstrom - "The Northwest plays an important role in the province's economic well-being, and investing in our transportation network is a vital part of ensuring that continues. We want to ensure the region has safe, reliable infrastructure to move products to market and support jobs and economic growth."

Learn More:

Follow the work of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure online at: www.tranbc.ca

2012-13 PROJECTS IN THE NORTHWEST

Highway 16: resurface approximately 34 km of Highway 16 between Khyex River and Kasiks River, west of Terrace.

Comment by 9in on 24th April 2012do dip s,,,#$%*&^t for 10 years up here throw a few beads our way and they want to elect scully

sealcoat

Comment by Steve on 24th April 2012Oh yay-more sealcoat instead of pavement. Anyone who's ridden a motorcycle on that crap will tell you a few horror stories about what its like to squirm and wriggle all over your lane because of the lack of solid footing on 2 wheels. If that garbage is so good, why dont they use it down south--say on Hwy 1?

Maybe your kidding Terry

Comment by Bryan on 24th April 2012Are you comparing the population and transportation needs of a region with 75,000 people (rough guess from Smithers to Rupert to the Nass to Kitimat) to a region with probably 1.5 to 2 million? Have you driven on those roads? I have. The Port Mann bridge and Highway 1 were built in the early 60's and are grossly out of touch with the need. How about we tell the poor guy who sits every morning in traffic for an hour to feed his family that he needs to wait another ten years. And he sits there because he can't afford to live near his work, and because the bus will take him 2.5 hours to get to work. Even on our worst days of traffic volume there isn't even a comparison. And you are comparing 26 million to a multi-year program. What about the money spent EVERY year up here. Our highways are in pretty good condition all things considered. I could think of some things I'd like done, but when I think of the actual need vs the cost, I'm happy to wait. Its pretty obvious by your tired "christy cluck" comments where your political loyalties lie, which I understand, but how about a fair comparison. Lets not continually minimize what we get up here, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Did you hear of the recent announcement of a new Hospital in Burns Lake? Or are you so politically jaded you block out all good things the government does.I DO NOT love the Liberals, or agree with all they do, but I am glad that we haven't had the NDP in power over the past few years, because they would have addressed our economic issues by putting more money into unemployment, welfare, gov't salaries etc etc. At least the Liberals have spent money on things we will still have as assets after the downturns are over.

you're kidding Bryan Right?

Comment by Terry on 24th April 2012You're comparing that to 2.46 billion dollars for a twinning of the port mann bridge . 26 million to 2.46 billion for a twin bridge that they already have . If a little top coating is all it takes for your vote of confidence we're screwed.

there have been many bones

Comment by Bryan on 23rd April 2012You guys forgetting all the work they've done in the past few years? Do you forget the 40 or so km's they rebuilt to the east? Do you forget all the work they've done on Kalum Lake Dr/Hwy 113? Do you forget the paving last year to the CN crossing? Do you forget how in the past five years they've done pretty much every road in Thornhill/Queensway, including Beam Station Rd? How about the extra passing lanes between here and PG? How about the bridges that have been rehabilitated? I get that we may not all love the Liberals, but give some credit where it is due. To say they are now throwing us a bone is a bit of an un-truth.

a tiny bone at that.

Comment by Terry on 23rd April 2012the port mann twinning is going to cost 2.46 billion .crusty cluck is a joke and her cronies here in the north are laughable and a bigger joke. It would be interesting to see how much in taxes , royalties and stumpage 604 sucks out of the north to feed her election machine .Still they won't give us a back door out ( cranberry connector ) all of us west of kitwanga are trapped the next time we have a slide between there and terrace . And it's not if it's when .

toss us a bone before election

Comment by anon on 23rd April 2012must be an election coming up as the lie-berals are tossing us tablescraps. Bye bye Crusty Clark!